ABSTRACT
Photovoltaic conversion is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity with no intervening heat engine. Photovoltaic devices are solid-state devices; therefore, they are rugged and simple in design and require very little maintenance. Perhaps, the biggest advantage of solar photovoltaic devices is that they can be constructed as stand-alone systems to give outputs from microwatts to megawatts. That is why they have been used as the power sources for calculators, watches, water pumping, remote buildings, communications, satellites and space vehicles, and even megawatt-scale power plants. Photovoltaic panels can be made to form components of building skin, such as roof shingles and wall panels. With such a vast array of applications, the demand for photovoltaics is increasing every year. The market for photovoltaic solar cells is growing exponentially, increasing from 227 MW in 2000 to 3,800 MW in 2008 and to 20,500 MW in 2010 [1] and is expected to continue increasing exponentially. The global market created $82 billion in revenue in 2010 [1]. An example of a photovoltaic residential rooftop system is shown in Figure 6.1.
